The Negative Impacts of Illegal Dumping

While driving down Santa Teresa Boulevard in Coyote Valley, you'll likely see golden fields, farmland and maybe even a coyote or two. Unfortunately, it’s also likely that you may see a random pile of trash, broken household appliances, discarded mattresses and construction debris.

Illegal dumping, or the inappropriate disposal of unwanted items and hazardous waste, is a persistent issue that negatively impacts humans, the surrounding environment and the wildlife that live in the area. Throughout Coyote Valley in particular, contaminated dirt and other construction debris piles are left on the side of the road in areas that may look like open fields, but in fact are valuable wildlife habitats.

Keep reading to learn how illegal dumping is a cause for concern and what can be done to minimize its effect.

1. People: When household items are disposed of in an inappropriate manner, they run the risk of leaking hazardous materials, contaminating our air, water and local food systems and negatively affecting the public’s health. In addition, trash entices rodents and insects which may carry diseases that could be passed along to humans.

2. The Environment: When undesired items are discarded on the side of the road or in other unsuitable places, the environment suffers both in looks and viability. Depending on the size of the disposed items, they may blow away into nearby water systems including streams and storm drains, risking the lives of fish and other aquatic animals.

"Illegal dumping has an adverse effect on the environment," Cliff Irrebaria, Lead Open Space Technician said. "When dirt piles are dumped in sensitive habitats it can introduce invasive plants, [diseases that kill native plants] or hazardous materials to once pristine lands.  Sometimes it can cost thousands of dollars to clean up depending on what the lab results find in the soil samples." To an outsider, these dirt piles may look and seem harmless. However, they have long-lasting and costly effects that are often overlooked by the people doing the illegal dumping. 

Illegal dumping can also increase the severity of natural disasters. Trash left next to brush may be at higher risk of catching on fire if a wildfire were to break out and causing chemicals to be released into the environment. In addition, illegal dumping can further exacerbate the severity of a fire which negatively impacts humans and wildlife. Meanwhile, larger items like furniture and old appliances thrown to the wayside may block storm drains and increase the likelihood of flooding during winter storms.

3. Wildlife: While over 1.8 million people call Santa Clara County their home, it’s also important to remember that millions of animals do too! When residents dump their garbage and other items in places not meant for disposal, it causes major issues for animals like coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions, among many others.

Wildlife are likely to ingest chemicals and foreign substances or may get tangled up or injured from discarded debris. In addition, fish are at risk of dying due to items like fertilizer and trash polluting their water sources.

We all have a responsibility to minimize the impacts of illegal dumping and help keep Santa Clara County beautiful! Residents who are in need of a safe way to dispose of unwanted items have access to the following resources:

💚 BeautifySJ: This free resource offers San José residents with the options to schedule free junk pick ups and report illegal dumping and graffiti sightings. Download the San José 311 app to begin!

💚 Volunteer with a local clean up group: Many districts within Santa Clara County have their own neighborhood clean up crews that work together to collect trash found on the street and dispose of it in a proper manner. We also suggest checking out Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful for clean up opportunities at local trails and creeks!

💚 Report Illegal Dumping: Each city in Santa Clara County has its own phone number to report illegal dumping. If you see trash or unwanted items disposed in an inappropriate manner, check out this list to report the issue to your city. 

💚 Schedule a Pick Up with Recology: Some Santa Clara County residents who have their trash picked up by Recology can request an additional TWO pick ups per year for unwanted household items, debris and yard waste. Learn more here.